Biomechanical force profiles and force decrease of direct printed versus thermoformed aligners with different trimlines: an in vitro analysis
Bernhard Wiechens, Philipp Meyer-Marcotty, Emilia von Waldthausen, Lisa-Marie Mai, Jonas Q Schmid, Phillipp Brockmeyer, Wolfram Hahn, Anja Quast · 2026
Read Biomechanical force profiles and force decrease of direct printed versus thermoformed aligners with different trimlines: an in vitro analysis by Bernhard Wiechens, Philipp Meyer-Marcotty, Emilia von Waldthausen, Lisa-Marie Mai, Jonas Q Schmid, Phillipp Brockmeyer, Wolfram Hahn, Anja Quast (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13234102.txt.
Description
Bernhard Wiechens and colleagues published a 2026 laboratory study of clear orthodontic aligners, comparing heat-formed trays with directly 3D-printed ones. How hard an aligner pushes, and how fast that push fades, shapes tooth movement. A printed model jaw with a mounted front tooth simulated a quarter-millimeter bodily shift, while a multi-axis sensor recorded forces for three aligner designs, including two edge trims on the printed versions.
Heat-formed aligners pushed hardest along the direction of movement. The printed aligner with a scalloped, garlanded edge pushed most gently and controllably in both movement directions, and vertical forces nearly vanished compared with the heat-formed trays. Printed aligners also relaxed their force quickly within the first hour. The authors say trim design gives orthodontists a dial for force, pending longer observation.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Bernhard Wiechens, Philipp Meyer-Marcotty, Emilia von Waldthausen, Lisa-Marie Mai, Jonas Q Schmid, Phillipp Brockmeyer, Wolfram Hahn, Anja Quast |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 29 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |